When the tactian's plan was wrong
by SniperR
Summary: The tactics where wrong, someone's bound to die. Read and Review! If you nice, wonderful readers are nice enough I'll keep it going! :D -Completed-
1. The battle

SniperR: My first non-one-shot fic! Yay!

* * *

"Ah, finally, we get to rest. Those bandits wouldn't leave us alone. I'm glad they're all gone!" Lyn protested. She, Eliwood and Hector had finished off the brigands and gained them a victory. The whole camp was in a cheerful mood.  
  
"Those bandits were chasing us for days. I'm happy they won't be doing so anymore." Commented Matthew.  
  
"Me too!" Added Serra. The whole camp came together around Merlinus' tent and supper was served.  
  
"Oswin, Marcus, go keep an eye out for bandits. They're done this before. I wouldn't put it past them to try it again" Commanded Mark, their tactician.  
  
"Yes sir!" Oswin turned and left. Marcus was unusually quiet.  
  
"What's wrong?" Asked Mark.  
  
"Sir Mark, I'm worried. We can keep guard, but last time they snuck up on us. We couldn't counter their attack. What if we can't see them coming this time?"  
  
"Do not worry, we'll keep our eyes open too, if that will ease your tension."  
  
"Much, thank you Sir Mark." Marcus left the same way Oswin had. Mark turned towards camp and, fixing his torn cloak, strode to the fire, and his supper. He was famished. "I'll out-eat you this time, Hector!" Mark laughed.  
  
--  
  
That evening was uneventful. Supper was over, and Mark had again, lost.  
  
"What's wrong Oswin?" Asked Marcus.  
  
"Just worrying about Hector..."  
  
"You do not need to worry. He holds his own very well on the battlefield. I've watched him also, he fights extremely well."  
  
"I know, but it's just a matter of time before he blunders. And then what? I don't want to have to be the messenger that tells Lord Uther than Hector was killed."  
  
"I understand your feelings, Oswin. I worry about Eliwood. You have to learn to let them go. How will they become independent if we're always babying them?"  
  
"You're right. I guess their's no need to worry then." No further words were said between them.  
  
Meanwhile at camp  
  
"Sain, Kent, can you two go to the village we passed yesterday and get some new equipment? I've noticed how we've been running short on lances and swords."  
  
"Sure. Do I have to go with Kent? He's so boring..."  
  
"Sain, just go with him..." Mark finished exasperated. The two cavaliers left. "And take Priscilla with you! You might run into trouble and could use a healer." The paladins nodded. After finding Priscilla they left the camp. They would return tomorrow. Mark turned and went to bed. It was late.  
  
--  
  
"Mark, Mark wake up! We're under attack!" Mark jumped up. His eyes finally focused to see Eliwood still trying to get dressed.  
  
"Attack? Is it those bandits again?"  
  
"Yes. They snuck up on us. We found out when an arrow went through Serra's tent and she screamed loud enough that she woke us all."  
  
"What about Oswin and Marcus? They were on guard duty! They're ok, right?"  
  
"Yeah, they were surrounded. They're fine now. We were going to help them but Hector got there before we could. Saving Oswin and Marcus, just a convenient excuse for more violence. What is it with Hector and violence?"  
  
"I really don't know. Thank Saint Elimine they weren't harmed. Is everyone up?" Eliwood nodded.  
  
"I need to go help Hector, there are bandits coming from the left, and everyone are fighting the one's coming from up ahead."  
  
"Are you sure you two can handle it alone?"  
  
"Of course!" Eliwood turned on his heels and left Mark to get dressed.  
  
"Hope you're right." Murmured Mark.  
  
--  
  
"Eliwood, what took you?" Eliwood stumbled over dead brigands.  
  
"I had to tell Mark that the camp was under attack." Eliwood lost his balance and fall on another dead brigand. Hector took him by the back of the shirt and set him back on his feet.  
  
"Really? No one bothered to tell our tactician??"  
  
"No. I told him we'd be here, he sounded worried about the prospect of just the two of us guarding this side of the camp, but I see you're doing fine by yourself." Eliwood inspected Hector closely for any sign of a wound.  
  
"I told you before Eliwood, I don't need any help when it comes to fighting! But I'll gladly guard you, if it keeps you out of danger."  
  
"Very well, you'll get your way weather I like it or not."  
  
"Come now! You're not serious?"  
  
"Yes, you're very..." Eliwood paused. "...determined, if you can even say that." Hector just laughed and patted Eliwood on the shoulder which almost caused him to lose his balance again.  
  
"Hector, bandits heading for us, get ready." Eliwood and Hector drew their weapons and prepared for the upcoming battle.

* * *

SniperR: Voting time!!!! I know I said in the genre this was a tragedy-

Hector: Not very tragic if you ask me...

SniperR: Not YET!! Just to see what you nice readers want, tell me if who you would rather see die in the end of this fic, Eliwood or Hector!

Hector & Eliwood: WHAT?! O.O

SniperR: So yeah, tell me what you think, and hurry before I get dunked into the pool of maple serup and thrown on an ant hill again....

Hector: Yeah, we have a nice anthill waiting for you!  
  
Eliwood: Hector, be realistic. We have to throw her in the MAPLE SERUP first, remember?

Hector: Oh yeah, right.

SniperR: Like I said, hurry! ;-;

And please, no flames......


	2. The cliff

Part 2!!!

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Night lifted, and the morning sun rose over the blood coated plains.  
  
Eliwood surveyed his surroundings. He noticed how far he had ran from the camp. In fact, he didn't even know in which direction the camp was.  
  
"Hector!" Eliwood's voice rose and died in the small clearing. "Hector where are you?! I'm lost... which direction is camp in? Maybe if I just follow the trail of dead bodies I can find my way back. " Eliwood followed the trail of blood through the forest and, sure enough, the further he went in the louder the sounds of fighting were. "We're still under attack?" Eliwood heard footsteps behind him, he turned to come face to face with Hector.  
  
"Hector! It's me!! Don't...!!" Eliwood let himself fall back, avoiding the Wolf Beil by mere inches.  
  
"Eliwood? Eliwood are you ok?!" Hector helped Eliwood to his feet.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm beginning to believe Lyn about you being dangerous with that axe. Watch who you swing that thing at. You could have taken my head off!!"  
  
"Sorry, I thought you were a bandit. They haven't let up yet. Guess they didn't notice the dead bandits littering the ground yet!"  
  
"Guess not. Hector look out!" Eliwood pushed Hector out of the way of a ballista shot. It hit his leg just below his hip, successfully disabling him.  
  
"Eliwood are you hurt?"  
  
"NO, YOU THINK?!? Eliwood screamed at Hector.  
  
"No need to yell... can you fight?" Eliwood glared at Hector obvious lack of intelligence.  
  
"My arm is fine. I. Just. Can't. Move." Hector nodded.  
  
"I'll keep an eye on you!"  
  
"Against all of them??" Eliwood pointed to the 27 someodd bandits, brigands and berserkers slowly advancing towards them.  
  
"Good point. Should we run like Matthew does or face overwhelming odds."  
  
"Running sounds good, but I can't run." Hector grinned at Eliwood.  
  
"Oh no.... you have an idea, a bad idea."  
  
"What, you don't trust me?? I thought you were my friend!"  
  
"I trust you, it's just last time you had an idea Uther ended up naked in a bucket of rice pudding in the middle of the busiest street in Ostia. And if I recall, it was just after his ascension ceremony. I wonder what the populace thought of their Marquess after that."  
  
"Well, Matthew distracted the populace for him by running nude through the streets, and if I recall right, Oswin joined him."  
  
"Yes, yes that's all great but can we run now, they're not slowing down." Hector threw Eliwood on his shoulder and ran from the bandits and brigands. An arrow whizzed by Eliwood's head. "Hector, they have archers! Run faster!!"  
  
"I can't, Eliwood go on a diet!! I thought you were lighter than this!!"  
  
"You're tired." Hector ran past the trees, hitting into a few on the way. The trees parted to a cliff overlooking the river below. The problem was thus; Hector couldn't stop. Or at least he stopped, but he was on the very edge and struggling to get his balance. Eliwood was squirming which made things worse.  
  
"Eliwood, stop it!!"  
  
"They're right behind us! Keep running!"  
  
"I can't, cliff!!" And with that final word Hector lost his balance and fell. Eliwood's hand caught a branch.  
  
"Hector!!" Eliwood gazed down to see Hector hit the cliff before disappearing in the water. Eliwood heard a crack. "Oh sh-" He was falling, and the branch he was holding was still in his hand. He hit against the cliff also, feeling the jagged rocks tearing into his back. He hit water, and everything went black.

* * *

SniperR: I KNOW, I KNOW!!!! Notoriously short. But it was either end it here or it would go on forever. And me is tired right now. Oh yeah, cliffy!! 

Hector: I'm alive, right? I'm not dead right?? Eliwood lived right??? Right??!

Eliwood: Calm down. You ended the story like that??

SniperR: NO!! This is chapter two, it's called a clifhanger! R & R please nice, kind, considerate (I know I'm sucking up) readers!!

The vote's like this; Hector: 0 Eliwood: 0 Marcus: 1

Marcus: No fair!

SniperR: I know, but somebody wants you dead. I need just one vote for either Eliwood or Hector! Please please please please please please!  
  
And please again, no flames...


	3. Injured but fighting

Part 3! Yay!

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Mark walked through their camp, issuing orders to the army. They had almost won.  
  
"Just a few more, we can make it...." Mark ran into Guy and sent him with Matthew as the eastern side of camp, where the enemy forces were low in number and level. Those two could take them out easy. The front of the base was under a full assault by the enemy. All of their best fighters were there. Mark had sustained an injury to his arm and had excused himself from the front lines to return for healing. He told Marcus to do the tactical work in his absence.  
  
"Mark, you're hurt!" Observed Priscilla.  
  
"Yes, I came for healing." Priscilla took out her Mend staff and the pain and injury vanished.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"Much. Thank you Priscilla. Tell me, has Lords Eliwood or Hector returned for healing?"  
  
"No, I haven't seen them since the fight began." Mark nodded.  
  
"I gave them plenty of vulnearies, I pray nothing has happened."  
  
"I don't know much about fighting, but it seems to me they're both pretty good at it." Commented Serra, who was also staying there in case anyone needed healing. A few moments of silence passed.  
  
"I must return to the front lines. If either of you see them, tell them I'm lo-" Mark was cut off by the sound of Marcus yelling help as he and Lowen burst into the tent carrying a severely injured Oswin.  
  
"What's happening?"  
  
"More came, all Berserkers and Nomadic Troopers. I don't see where they were hiding. Were holding them off right now, but it looks bad." Mark sighed as Marcus talked. Priscilla tended to Oswin as the two discussed the issue of the sudden assault.  
  
"He's in bad shape, I....... there's nothing I can do with this weak staff. I can use it, but it won't do any good. The wounds are too deep to mend. I'm afraid...... he's going to die." Mark took Priscilla by the shoulders.  
  
"You have to do something!" Priscilla nodded.  
  
"I'll do my best." Suddenly Guy came into the tent carrying Matthew. The thief was hanging limply in the myrmidon's arms. The latter of the two was crying.  
  
"There was a Berserker.... we didn't see him.... I'm sorry...... please... try to help him!" Guy broke down as Serra examined the injured spy.  
  
"It's not as bad as Oswin....." Commented Serra. Guy looked onto the other bed, his eyes falling on the beaten knight.  
  
"There's just to many of them! Serra, Priscilla, tend to these two, when you're done come to the front line. We're going to have to go all out on them. I'll tell Nils to stay here and keep an eye on them. We need you both on the front line now." Mark, Marcus, Lowen and a shaken Guy exited the tent and proceeded to help with the battle.  
  
Everything was black. Eliwood opened one eye lazily. He sat up, his back screaming for him to do anything but move. He was on a riverbank at the bottom of the cliff.  
  
"What a fall. Hey, I landed in water!" Eliwood noticed the river was anything but calm, it was all rapids. "How did I get here?"  
  
"I dragged you out of there." Eliwood turned to see Hector standing there, watching him.  
  
"I thought you had taken a hit to head and died or something."  
  
"Very funny. Hey... your arm..." Eliwood was referring to the white bone sticking out jaggedly from his skin.  
  
"It's not as bad as it looks."  
  
"It's your axe arm, isn't it?" Hector nodded. He knew he couldn't defend himself now.  
  
"Did those bandits follow us?"  
  
"No, you don't realize just how long you've been unconscious, do you?"  
  
"How long?"  
  
"About two days."  
  
"Two days? Gods Hector, we've been gone two days? You're arm... you've been like that two days?" Eliwood was evidently worried.  
  
"Yes, well, once the numbness takes over you don't seem to notice time go by. I'm just glad you're awake." Eliwood stood on shaky legs. He went to Hector and stood beside him, examining the bone sticking out of his arm.  
  
"You've been standing this entire time?"  
  
"Yes." Hector patted his leg, which too was wounded. He was using the tree as a support, holding most of his weight with his hand. The wound on his leg was deep and still trickling with blood.  
  
"Can you move?"  
  
"Nope. Wish I could, I would have carried you back to camp. Can you pass me my axe, it's over there." Eliwood picked up the Wolf Beil and gave it to Hector.  
  
"How do you lift that? It weighs a ton!!"  
  
"Eliwood, you're a weakling." Hector spat.  
  
"Sorry." A Berserker walks from behind some trees, patting his killer axe with a sadistic grin on his face. "Oh no...they came back." Eliwood would have unsheathed his Rapier, if he had had it. "Where's my sword?! I can't fight without my sword!" Hector handed Eliwood the Wolf Beil.  
  
"It's better than nothing. I'll be back here with my hand axe. I'll do my best from here so draw him in close" Eliwood took the Wolf Beil, unsure he would be able to fight with it.  
  
"I'll do my best. And Hector?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"If I die, tell my mother I'm sorry."  
  
"And if I die, I want you to tell my brother."  
  
"Sure. Let's just hope neither of us have to fulfill that promise." Hector nodded solemnly, his body weary and numb. Eliwood shivered slightly as the Berserker made it's way towards the beaten lords.

* * *

SniperR: Votes so far;

Eliwood: 0

Hector: -1

Marcus: 2

Both: 1

Hector: I got a minu 1? Alright!!! Wooo!

Eliwood: That means... O.O' Noooooooooooooo!!!!!  
  
SniperR: Oh stop crying, votes not over yet!

Eliwood: Yessssss!!!

SniperR: Still looking bad for you.

Eliwood: Noo!! T.T


	4. Death

Not final chapter, hopefuly....

* * *

The Berserker walked forward slowly, his killer axe poised for an easy kill. The little lord looked up at the mountain of muscles and tightened his grip on the Wolf Beil handle. He was using an axe, Hector's axe.  
  
"Eliwood, now!!!" Yelled Hector, trying to coach his friend. Eliwood ran at the Berserker and swung the axe with everything his body had. He was surprised at how fast he was as the axe connected with the Berserker's arm. It left a deep gash, but nothing more. "Move!! Don't just stand there!" Eliwood jumped back as the killer axe was swung, missing him by centimeters. "The head! Go for the head!" Eliwood obeyed and in one sweep the neck was severed and blood poured forth from the wound.  
  
"Hey, I did it, I did it!!" Eliwood jumped and turned to Hector walking proudly.  
  
"Maybe you're not so weak after all." Hector laughed. Eliwood stood next to him, the pain in his leg was returning.  
  
"Hector, do you think you can walk?"  
  
"No, not without help." Eliwood took Hector's good arm and slung it over his shoulder. They tried walking, it worked, although they were moving slowly.  
  
"We won, barely." Commented Mark. "Priscilla, you were here during the assault, right?" Priscilla turned to him.  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"I thought you were with Sain and Kent? I only thought about it when they showed up yesterday."  
  
"Sain was flirting with me so I came back. It was a lucky turn, I came back just before the battle started."  
  
"Yes, you helped us all. Serra could never have accomplished healing everyone by herself, thank you."  
  
"You're welcome. I'm just sorry about Oswin, I couldn't do a thing." Priscilla's gaze wondered to the freshly dug grave under a tree.  
  
"It's not your fault, Priscilla. He died in battle." Raven hugged his sister to his chest.  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything." Priscilla cried on Raven who, in return, held her tighter.  
  
Eliwood and Hector where on the path leading up the ravine. Eliwood held most of Hector's weight, after that last fall he had almost lost the use of his leg. They were particularly tired and sat for another rest.  
  
"Eliwood, go ahead without me. Get Priscilla or Serra. I'll wait here, you can obviously go faster without me."  
  
"Hector, you're coming with me. I'm injured too, what happens if I get attacked? Or worse, if you get attacked??"  
  
"I can defend myself just fine. Keep the Wolf Beil, you might need it." Eliwood stood once more. He gazed over the river in wonder at everything that had happened since the battle began.  
  
"I'll... see you later." Eliwood turned on his heels and made his way up the ravine. Hector watched him until he disappeared out of sight over the embankment.  
  
"I guess I'd be of more use if I tried getting closer to camp." Hector tried walking, which did more pain that it did good. The next best thing was crawling, which wasn't half bad, considering he could use only one arm.  
  
It seemed like a lifetime before Hector reached the top of the embankment. His first view was of a battlefield tainted crimson with the lifeblood of bandits. A single bandit was in the field, hacking away at the body of the man who had taken the lives of his friends.  
  
Hector took his hand axe, and with a throw, removed the bandit's head.  
  
"Too easy." Hector made his way through the field of dead bodies. What would have taken him thirty seconds to cross now took him ten minutes. He reached the body of the bandit he had decapitated. He caught a flash of red on the ground at the corner of his eye. Not the crimson red, but flaming red. Funny, he thought as he turned towards it, it reminded him so much of-  
  
"Eliwood!!" Hector's breath caught in his throat as well as his heart. His mind finally put two and two together as he thought back to the bandit, more precisely what he had been hacking at. Hector held the young lord in his unbroken arm. Eliwood's eyes were still open and were staring off into the distance. His chest was beaten in, blood saturating his shirt and cape and was splattered on his face. The Wolf Beil was broken in two, laying on the ground, the nearby bolder had a chip it in, caused by a blade.  
  
"..."  
  
"Eliwood??" Hector asked hopefully. The eyes that were moments ago staring off into the distance were now gazing at him.  
  
"...ah..." The raspy sound was barely audible, but Hector heard it.  
  
"You're alive!" Eliwood tried to breath, his lungs screaming for air. Said air wouldn't come, his lungs were filled with blood. His mind was reeling, his body numb with pain. Hector looked at the wounds once more. "I'm so stupid! I should have gone with you Eliwood, this is all my fault!" Eliwood's response was a blink.  
  
"..hec...." Eliwood couldn't breath, let alone speak. Darkness clouded his mind as he slipped into nothingness, and death that awaited him on the other side.  
  
"No... don't die! I can still get someone.... hold on..." Hector begged. Eliwood's eyes closed and his tense body relaxed. Hector felt his body go limp as he watched the blue eyes disappear behind pale lids. He was distraught, his long-time friend had just died in his arms, he had just witnessed the final moments of Eliwood's life. He noticed for the first time how frail Eliwood looked, and how pale the blood loss had made him. Hector threw his head back and released his anguish in a long scream, a scream that was heard by all, including the bandits far away. At the camp he had forgotten for the moment, Mark turned towards the direction of the scream, recognizing the voice.

* * *

SniperR: :) 

Eliwood: O.O

Hector: O.O

Oswin: O.O'

Eliwood: YOU KILLED ME!!!

Hector: Sucker.....

Oswin: Me?? I wasn't even on the vote! Marcus was there, kill Marcus! I order you as an Ostian knight to kill Marcus!

Marcus: I heard that.

Eliwood: Crazed look on his face, holding a dagger above SniperR's head Die... die.... die

SniperR: Eh... o.O' Seeya!!!

Hector: Hey come back here! We have an anthill waiting!

SniperR: Shouting Vote so far:  
Eliwood: 2  
Hector: -1  
Marcus: 2  
Both: 1


	5. Awakening

Part 5 is up!

* * *

Hector rose his head to see Mark and a few others enter the field. Mark screamed something at Hector but he never got the chance to hear. With a sudden lurch, everything went black.  
  
He came to, not knowing how long he had been out. He was only semi- conscious, his back was screaming in pain so it numbed him to the point he didn't know what was going on. He heard voices in the background.  
  
"Elanora.... Eliwood......battle... I ..... sorry....." Hector could piece together what that person was saying to Lady Elanora by the few words he caught. He wanted to apologize to her but found himself incapable of doing anything save breath. His eyes opened slightly to see a very blurry Elanora staring down at him.  
  
"His eyes are open." She touched his face gently, but he barely felt it.  
  
"First time since that damned cavalier got him." Commented Mark. Hector wanted to know more, what had happened to himself, what was going to be done with Eliwood and how they had gotten to Pherea so quickly. He passed out again.  
  
He woke up a few more times after that. He guessed they were on the road by the moving feeling. He didn't really know, his vision was still too blurry to see anything, and besides the point he couldn't move. He wasn't getting better either.  
  
The next thing he knew he regained his consciousness again. He was in a building by the looks of it. There were voices in the background. One sounded mad.  
  
".... where is he?!" Hector tried to turn his head. "When I get my hands on him I'm goin..." The voice died. A deadly silence surrounded Hector and he thought he had lost consciousness again. He heard a shuffling noise and felt someone take him by the shoulders. "Hector!!" Whoever it was sounded upset. Hector half opened his eyes again, it seemed all he was capable to do currently. He tried to talk but his throat burned.  
  
"He doesn't recognize you. He was the same way with Elanora. I know he can hear you, but he doesn't know you. Anything you can call him that he'll recognize?" Hector knew that was Mark by the way he talked. Hector's vision was terribly blurry, but by the way Mark was talking whoever was holding him by the shoulders was someone he should know very well. Hector did a mental check on himself. The end report was he could move nothing, save his fingers. He tried twitching one but no one saw.  
  
"Little brother!!" Hector would have cried if he could have. They had brought him to Ostia. Hector wanted to do anything to get his attention, to tell him he was aware that he was there. He managed to blink. He twitched his finger and felt something grasp his hand.  
  
"He's alive!!!" Mark whooped. "Thank god he wasn't another casualty."  
  
"Another?? There were more?" Hector lay there listening.  
  
"Yes, Lord Eliwood was slain, and so was Oswin." Hector twitched his fingers again and felt a comforting squeeze.  
  
"I have to return to my duties. Keep an eye on my brother." He turned to leave, but couldn't. His hand was being held captive by Hector's. He leaned over ans whispered into Hector's ear. "I'll be back, ok?" He ruffled Hector's hair and left. Mark observed Hector. He felt pity for him, he couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything except blink and twitch his fingers. Mark sat next to him on the bed.  
  
"OK, blink once for yes, two for no. Can you understand me?" Hector blinked. "Good. Are you in pain?" Blink. "Oh..... Did you know who that was?" Furious blink. "Ok, ok. I thought it would do you some good to come home. We can't continue with you like this, and now that we've lost Eliwood and Oswin, well...." Blink. "Yes?? Oh, I'm right." Blink. "Do you want me to leave you alone now?" Blink, blink. "Ok. Ah, do you want me to tell you what happened to you?" Enthusiastic blink. "When we found you, you were holding Eliwood. A cavalier was coming behind you, I tried to yell to you but you didn't hear me and the cavalier stuck his lance into your back. More precisely your upper-back. We thought you might be paralyzed until you started twitching your fingers. Now there's a good chance that you'll regain everything you lost. I hope you do. It'll still be a very long road to recovery, though." Hector sighed to the best of his abilities. He motioned his eyes towards the door. "What is it? You want something?" Blink, blink. "Someone?" Blink. "Ok, someone from our camp?" Blink, blink. "Lord Uther?" Blink. "Ah, he had a job to do, Hector." Glare in Mark's direction. "Ok, I'll see what I can do..." Mark stood and scribbled something on a piece of paper before leaving.  
  
After Mark left, Hector contented himself to staring at the mud stain at the roof of the tent. His view was boring, for he could move his head in no direction. He patiently waited for Mark to return, which he knew he would, and hopefully with his brother. Hector tested his limbs, trying to lifting anything, to no avail. He closed his eyes wearily. For the short time he had been awake he was very tired. He closed his eyes and dozed off, sleep his salvation from his pain and torment.

* * *

Eliwood: O.O

Hector: He's been like that for hours.

SniperR: He's dead.

Hector: Now, where's that anthill??

SniperR: -holding pesticide behind back- I don't know! Anyway, poor Hector!  
  
Hector: What?

SniperR: In the story....

Hecotr: Oh, Hey!!! How can you be a sniper if you can't even use a bow?!

SniperR: o.O' Moving on!!

subliminalmessage:pleasenoflmaes


	6. C'est la fin

Final chappy!

* * *

Hector woke once more to the sound of screaming. Everything was pitch black, even with his eyes open. He opened his mouth to yell, but remembered he couldn't speak. He lay there listening to the fighting. He strained his ears to listen. Yes, it was fighting.  
  
A reddish glow illuminated the tent. He noticed that the sounds were becoming fainter. He guessed the battle was moving further away. A bolt of fear shot through him. What if that glow was from an enemy?? And here he was, defenseless and alone.  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut in fear of that possibility.  
  
The intruder stood next to the bed, torch in hand, looking at the young lord.  
  
"Hector, is that any way to greet your brother?" Hector opened his eyes, he was thankful his vision had returned, although a slight bit fuzzy. He could finally see Uther, and was happy. Finally a face he knew really well. "Can you talk yet??" Hector again tried his voice, to no avail. Uther gently slid one arm under Hector's shoulders and the other under his knees and lifted him. "Have you gained weight??" Hector glared at him. "OK, ok, I'll be nice." Uther turned and with that left the tent to rendezvous with Mark outside of Ostia.  
  
Hector was lucky enough to be able to see his surroundings. There were dead bandits and soldiers everywhere. Uther answered Hector's question, without it even being asked.  
  
"The Black Fang came at night, we weren't prepared. The castle has fallen. They've one. The only thing we can do now is escape, and hope to get away with out lives." Hector sighed. They had lost to a surprise attack. Ostia was taken, now all of Lycia would fall to the Black Fang. Hector gazed back at Uther who seemed to be staring intently at something to the left that Hector was unable to see. "Mark said we could pass behind the Black Fang troops, but there's more of them then we thought. I hope we can make it without being seen." He walked in between the trees. He would often stop, assess their situation and continue on. Hector held his breath when Uther stopped, he was afraid even his silent breathing would attract the enemy.  
  
--  
  
Mark paced the ground nervously. Every person that passed by he would stop and ask if they had seen Uther and Hector. Every time it was the same answer. He had sent out Marcus alone to find them. Lyn walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"They'll be here." Mark nodded.  
  
"I hope nothing has happened. After Eliwood and Oswin...."  
  
"I know, you're plan failed. But it doesn't fail often... that was just unluckyness. You do a wonderful job as a tactician. Without you we wouldn't be here." Lyn tried to sound cheerful to help Mark, but it was the opposite of her mood. She was still grieving for Eliwood and Oswin. She felt bad about Hector too.  
  
"Without me Eliwood and Oswin would still be alive. I'm a horrible tactician."  
  
"Nonsense. But I still say Sain or Kent should have gone with Marcus."  
  
"See, even you can see my mistakes."  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself." Lyn sighed inwardly and strode away to check up on Florina. Mark shook his head.  
  
"I really don't want to be responsible for the deaths of Marquess Ostia and the only heir to the throne of Ostia. Hector, Uther, you had better come back alive." Mark walked away, wallowing in despair.  
  
--  
  
Speaking about Hector and Uther, the two were still heading towards the rendezvous point, sneaking through one of the many clearings that left you completely open to an assault.  
  
Hector noticed they had stopped moving. He moved his head to try to see why. When this tactic had proven itself useless he looked up at his brother. He seemed to be squinting at something.  
  
"It'll be back." He put Hector down in the grass and disappeared out of his line of vision.  
  
Hector strained to listen for the shuffling noises that would signal his return, but it would be a long while before he heard them again.  
  
--  
  
Uther stopped in front of the tree, looking at the body strapped to it. A horse lay mangled not far away, by the looks of it, it was the owner of the horse who was strapped to the tree. The owner was naked and savagely beaten. Uther closed his eyes and looked away. He cursed bitterly and asked himself why the bandits had to be so damn savage with their victims. The only reason the kill wounded him so was because he knew the paladin. He knew he couldn't just leave him there. He fingered the ropes carefully and untied them. With a certain miserable sadness he lay the man next to the horse. Removing the bloody covering from the horse he lay it on it's owner. Before the cloth fell he caught sight of the wounds. The skin on the arms was torn savagely by claws, his chest was littered with stab wounds. His stomach was, oddly, untouched. Bite marks littered his neck and Uther thought he was going to be sick. Had they gone that far?? He had been whipped, obviously, and his face had been adorned with several well-placed gashes. Uther's hand fingered the scar on his face nervously, he could still remember the white hot pain of the blade, and the warm blood streaming out. He could hear Hector's screams when he fell, hands on his face, his mind reeling in agony.  
  
Uther stood and prayed silently for the man. He felt the sting of tears threatening to well over and cursed his emotions. How he wished he was as strong as Hector! He turned on his heels and ran back to where he had hid Hector, hoping the bandits had not gained to much on them.  
  
--  
  
Hector opened his eyes to see Uther picking him up once more. Hector wanted to ask what was wrong; he looked upset.  
  
"Marcus is dead." Hector sighed. His mind turned back to Eliwood's dead body, the pale prince lying dead in his arms, skin a pale, eery white. Uther started walking again, deject. Hector wondered how much longer they'd be wandering the forest and secretly hoped they were close to the rendezvous point.  
  
Uther walked one step after the other, walking over branches and roots all the while watching his little brother who seemed to be resting in his arms. He was snapped away from his thoughts by an arrow whizzing by.  
  
"They found us!" Uther broke into a run in the general direction of the rendezvous point, hoping to avoid the advancing archers. "Maybe we can catch the road, it would be easier." Hector nodded despite his paralysis.  
  
The archers let loose many arrows, and Uther did his best to avoid them. He was successful until one planted itself into his arm. He dropped Hector for a moment and removed it, only to find arrows raining down on them. Luckily none hit their mark. Uther picked up Hector once more and continued towards the road.  
  
"Not much further now, I can see the break in the trees!" Uther ran onto the road. All relief left him as his eyes fell on the cavaliers blocking the roadway. "Ah shit. Hector, I don't know what to say besides we're dead." Hector squeezed his arm reassuringly. Uther re-found his lust for life and ran across the road, narrowly missing the lance of the cavalier. He couldn't let Hector down, after all.  
  
He jumped down the slight ravine and ran forward, missing the trees and arrows along the way. They were extremely lucky, all the shots had missed their mark.  
  
Thick for rolled in, reducing Uther's vision to a few feet. Ignoring his better judgment he continued running. The fog mad him loose his bearings thus he was south of Ostia and not east. If he would have known he could have avoided the steep hill in front of him. Sadly he couldn't, and the brothers found themselves tumbling down into the trees.  
  
--  
  
Hector again regained his consciousness. His view of the fall came to mind; the fall, the helplessness and the darkness.  
  
His eyes shot open when he heard the horse neigh. He watched as the paladin drove his lance into Uther's back, the latter screamaing as the weapon embedded itself into his flesh, tearing and breaking everything in it's path. Hector wanted to scream, or die. He didn't care which one, he just didn't want to watch. The paladin repeated the move much to Hector's horror and he heard the sickening crack of bones being crushed.  
  
Uther's eyes fell on Hector laying there helpless and wished he could do something to let Hector avoid this fate. He winced as the lance delved once more and caused more burning pain. He let his head fall helplessly, he could no longer support it. His eyes began to close against his will. The lance fell a third time, at least he thought it did.  
  
Against everything he did to avoid it, Uther's mind reeled as he gave into the horrid darkness that was death. His last thought was of his little brother lying there defenseless. He wished he could have told him he loved him, to comfort him and tell him it was ok., that death was something unavoidable, unstoppable. But he couldn't reach him now. Hector was alone.  
  
Hector watched Uther's eyes close. He narrowed his eyes to make it seem like he was dead. The clopping of the hoofs on the gravel caught his attention. The panic he was suppressing suddenly flared up again and he opened his eyes unwillingly. The paladin was string at him, grinning.  
  
"Ah, I see you are alive. I was going to leave you there, but now that I see you're alive I will kill you much like I did your brother." Hector glared at the paladin, he would oppose him to the end. "Goodbye, little lord Hector." With the final word the paladin lifted his lance and drove it against Hector's armor. It penetrated simply and tore the flesh, finding his rib cage and then his lung. Hector screamed in agony. Too bad his voice came back a little too late. He felt the lance remove itself from his torn torso. The paladin drove the lance into his chest once more. He smiled sadistically as Hector face twisted, he relished killing people, especially helpless children.  
  
--  
  
Hector woke up to a flame haired man observing him, his blue eyes shining in the sunlight.  
  
"Eliwood!!" Hector jumped to his feet, able to move again.  
  
"Hector." Eliwood nodded with a smile on his face.  
  
"Wait... this can't be.... you're dead, I saw you die!"  
  
"You did. Hector, I know this is hard to hear, but you're also dead. That paladin killed you and your brother, as you know." Hector nodded solemnly.  
  
"So, is this heaven?"  
  
"No, the place in between. We're still in the living world, but...."  
  
"We're ghosts?"  
  
"Perhaps, you could call it that. No one can see us, we have no physical or mental form. We do not exist, yet we do."  
  
"Stop, you're confusing me. This feels so weird. It's like my whole body is made of air. I feel so... light." Eliwood grinned.  
  
"I know. So, what shall we do now?" Hector smiled as an idea formed in his head.  
  
"Can I.... no, never mind, it's a silly idea...."  
  
"Let me hear it. Oh, just so you know you can do this, I saw my father and your parents earlier while I was waiting for you."  
  
"Mom and dad? Really?! Wait, you were waiting for me?"  
  
"Mm." Eliwood looked somber. His eyes clouded over with sadness and his features dimmed. He took in a deep breath, readying himself for the long explanation he was going to have to give. But for now, he just wanted to see Hector happy, to see the upside of being dead.  
  
"Can I see my parents and Uther??"  
  
"Sure, let's go." Hector followed Eliwood onto the field and the two faded into nothingness. Not a trace was left of the young lords, save a legacy and memories left forever in their friends and families' hearts.  
  
C'est la fin

* * *

SniperR: Well, there we go! Story over! 

Hector: O.O

Eliwood: O.O

Marcus: O.O Nooooooo!!!!

Oswin: O.O

Uther: O.O Hey!!! I can't die I'm the Marquess!!!

SnierR: Ah forget you!! I hate you anyway, you made me go to that damned desert when I wanted to go to Bern in the opposite direction. I HATE YOU!!!

Uther: But-

SniperR: NO!!! Hector, get the anthill ready.

Hector: Do I have to?

SniperR: Yes. Well, that's that. Seeya! thanks for reading, you nice wonderful people. And if you're wondering _C'est la fin_ means _It's the end_ Yes, I am french, yes I can speak french fluently, I sure hope I can, I go to a french shool after all! O.O Little too much info... So: Aurevoir les gentil personnes qui vont laisser des mesages en me demandant ce que cette phrase veut dire!   
LOL!!!!


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